Thursday, March 31, 2016

Senate OKs church, concealed carry, nullification bill

The Senate on Tuesday passed the "Mississippi Church Protection Act" to allow armed security in churches. . .

. . . Concealed carry without a permit. . .

. . . and to provide for attempts to nullify federal regulations and executive orders that would limit gun rights.

You know, it started out seeming sorta semi-sane. If churches want to have security guards, that doesn't seem so weird. I mean what with all the crimes that take place in Mississippi churches these days. Like, for instance. . . um. . . I'm sure there are many examples. But, this being Mississippi, it got baboon-ass crazy pretty damn quick there.

But I'm sure that before passing this bill, there was probably a lot of reasoned debate.

There was much debate. Sen. Hillman Frazier, D-Jackson, waved a sheathed
sword and quoted Bible Scripture as he argued against passage of the
bill. Proponents also quoted Scripture, and even the Five Man Electrical
Band — "signs, signs, everywhere signs" — as they fended off an
amendment to require churches with armed security to post signs.

Quoting Scripture.

Quoting Scripture and waving around swords. Seriously. Mississippi state senators make laws for their state using the same methods as a rabbinical Talmudic debate. Plus with swords!

Anyway, what all does this law do?

The bill would allow churches to create security programs and designate
and train members to carry concealed weapons. It would provide criminal
and legal protections to those serving as church security.

Okay. So if a church wants to have a member be an armed security guard, instead of having that person go through a whole training/licensing procedure, Reverend Snakehandler can just authorize him?

And why shouldn't a member of the clergy be allowed to start issuing gun permits? Why shouldn't a man of the cloth stand in place of a government official? I don't see how any harm could possibly come from merging religious and governmental functions.

You get a gun! And you get a gun! Look under your pews, everybody! Everyone gets a gun!

Oh, and if Cletus thinks that the guy passing the offering plate might be holding it in a threatening way and opens fire, he's got "criminal and legal protections" just like a real police! Because, after all, he's been deputized by Rev. Hornswaggle and that's just as good as being a for-real cop.

The bill also would allow concealed carry in a holster without a permit in Mississippi, expanding a measure passed last year that
allowed concealed carry without a permit in a purse, satchel or
briefcase, and another recent law that allows open carry in public.

Of course. Because these assholes won't be satisfied until every part of this country looks like the fucking OK Corral.